Iowa has a reputation for agriculture, but the city of Waterloo is the right place for the cylinder-index crowd — those who may not be able to tell the difference between soybeans or green beans in the field but have great respect for the gear-ratio on the equipment that got ’em planted.

An easy half-day’s drive from the Twin Cities, this Iowa city is a handy destination for a guy-stuff getaway. Minnesota’s early-season golfers have long known its secret: three municipal golf courses, $20 for 18-holes of play and a $25 cart fee. What’s not as well known is that Waterloo offers plenty of sites and activities that would interest most Garage Logicians.

These include watching a John Deere tractor being assembled, viewing a P-51 Mustang plane at the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum or seeing a vintage Maytag automobile on display at the Grout Museum of History and Science.

And when you’re ready to eat, check out the 9630. Named for the John Deere tractor model, this regional hamburger favorite is on the menu at the Screaming Eagle American Bar and Grill in downtown Waterloo.

JOHN DEERE PLANTS

For any gearhead, the John Deere plant tours rank as a top-of-the-list, must-see destination. Hop into a trolley car, fix on an earpiece and get ready for a guided tour through the John Deere Tractor Assembly Plant or the Engine Works Plant.

At the Tractor Assembly Plant, retired John Deere employees (some who remember when their dads plowed with horses) point out the early-model tractors on display, carburetors lined up along the floor and tractor cabs going overhead. While futuristic robots apply the paint, the John Deere logos still go on by hand.

A few corny jokes add to the fun: A clean shop is a safe shop, but there are no janitors here. Everyone knows how to run a mop and a broom– even if they don’t tell their wives they do.

The key to this experience is knowing that reservations are required and that the John Deere tours are available only on weekdays. Because the plants are working operations, there also are a few regulations: No one younger than 13 is admitted, no open-toe shoes are allowed and OSHA regulations require safety glasses, which John Deere supplies. Cell phones and cameras are not permitted on the tour, but a trio of massive tractors outside the assembly plant provides a backdrop for photo enthusiasts as well as a close up look at finished products.

John Deere is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year, and a tractor museum is in the works for Waterloo in 2013.

WHIRLWIND ON WHEELS

Of the 1,500 Maytag-built automobiles that came off the assembly line at Waterloo’s Maytag-Mason Motor Co. from 1910 to 1912, an estimated 20 are in existence today. There are three in Iowa, including the one in the Engines of the Heartland exhibit area at Waterloo’s Grout Museum of History and Science.

The fact that Maytag once built cars is part of Waterloo’s past as a thriving manufacturing, rail transportation and wholesale operations hub of the early 1900s. Along with the Maytag car, the exhibit features other “machines of transportation and power.”

The Maytag car is a beauty. Once described as a “whirlwind on wheels,” it boasted a top speed of 35 mph. So why did Maytag stop production? Unlike the Maytag appliances of today, the cars did not have a reputation for reliability, revealed museum historian Bob Neymeyer. There was a transmission flaw: The rear axel did not stay put. It’s reported that for every two cars built, one came back for repair.

Build-it-yourself devotees also will want to stop in the museum’s Pioneer Hall to see the array of tools set out in the 1840s-era carpenter and blacksmith shops.

SERVICE AND SACRIFICE

Opened in 2008, the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum was named in honor of the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo — George, Frank, Red, Matt and Al — who died in 1942 while serving together on the USS Juneau in the South Pacific.

This $11.5 million, 32,000-square-foot museum is no look-only, hands-off operation. Working with museum staff, Split Rock Studios of Arden Hills artfully combined interactive technology, re-creations, sound effects and traditional display cases to tell the stories of combat zones and the home front from the Civil War to today’s military operations.

The exhibit areas are impressive. You can step inside a replica World War II M-4 Sherman tank or peer into the interior of a Vietnam-era Huey helicopter. The nearly life-size bow of the USS Juneau, which extends dramatically from the first to second level of the museum, contrasts with the modest 1940s living room of the Sullivan family. Both are reproductions, but the Gold Star Flag, representing the Sullivan combat deaths, is the genuine object.

The heart of the museum is the “Voices of Veterans,” the powerful personal stories of those who served. If you have only enough time to view one, watch as Keith Clark, a U.S. Navy veteran from Letts, Iowa, reflects on what it was like being present at the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It will hit you hard as he says, “The fellas conducted themselves as heroes. There were no slackers.” Sadly, Clark died shortly after the video was made.

WRESTLING HALL OF FAME

Located within sight of the Grout Museum District, the big wheels in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum are not modes of transportation but rather the names of Olympic and NCAA champions that line the walls.

Its collection of artifacts, memorabilia, mementos, movies and displays chronicle the history of wresting from Olympic games in 796 BCE to current athletes.

Wrestling is part of Iowa’s culture, explained Kyle Klingman, the museum’s executive director, and the museum carries the name of Waterloo’s distinguished Olympic wrestler and successful coach Dan Gable.

The Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions recognizes that the St. Paul couple was “one of the most influential couples in the history of American wrestling.”

Jesse Ventura was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003 for bringing positive recognition and respect to professional wrestling outside the ring.

In addition, there is a Minnesota Legends wall display of historic items and photos.

Vivid artwork by St. Paul native LeRoy Neiman are right at home in this setting.

When Waterloo hosts wrestling tournaments, 500 fans crowd the exhibit halls. It’s much quieter in the summer, making it easy to thoroughly explore the museum’s content. And a couple of hours can go by quickly.

OFF-ROAD PARK

“It’s the best riding opportunity in the state,” Shawn Hoagland boasted as he described the trail system of Waterloo’s Riverview Off Road Park, the first such site within a city’s limits. Hoagland is the founder and president of the Trailblazers Off Road Club, which is active in the park’s trail design and upkeep.

“People from southern Minnesota are drawn here for the wow factor,” he said.

Remember those words. Don’t let the 180-acre site with tree-lined trails, occasional deer sightings and Cedar River vistas lull you into thinking this is a nature sanctuary.

Watch out! The ATV trails make some serious twists, head up steep hills and plunge down again. Separated from the ATV area, the Moto X trails are known to send riders airborne. Make sure you have off-road experience before attempting the obstacle course.

That said, safety remains the top priority. Clearly posted rules are strictly enforced. Helmets are required. No alcohol is permitted. The Iowa DNR requires that ATVs, dirt bikes and ORVs be registered. Nonresident users must display an Iowa nonresident user permit.

Whatever the interest — motors, military history, sports or recreation — for a change of place, give Waterloo a try.

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